Abuja — The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) announced on Tuesday that the country’s crude-oil production has exceeded 1.7 million barrels per day (bpd) several times this year, signalling a significant rebound in upstream operations.
NUPRC Chief Executive Engr. Gbenga Komolafe disclosed the figures during a capacity-building training session for journalists in Lagos, noting that the improvement in output was underpinned by stronger rig activity and major investment decisions. “Our rig count has risen to nearly 70, with over 40 rigs active,” Komolafe said. He also revealed that within the last 10 months, field-development plans worth approximately US$20 billion have been approved.
He added that the NUPRC remains committed to further growth, stating that the regulator will conduct a new licensing round on December 1, 2025, which is expected to be more transparent and globally competitive than the 2024 round.
The announcement comes amid renewed international investor interest in Nigeria’s oil-and-gas sector, after years of output disruptions due to pipeline vandalism, theft and maintenance downtimes. Analysts say that surpassing the 1.7 m bpd mark indicates that Nigeria may be positioning itself to meet or exceed production targets set under its national energy policy.
Nonetheless, experts caution that sustaining such output remains a challenge given recurring security threats, infrastructure decay and global energy transition pressures. As Nigeria pursues higher production, the deeper question is whether the financial, regulatory and security frameworks are in place to translate volume gains into meaningful revenue and growth.